“Oh, you don’t understand the situation now!” cried Harry, showing impatience. “That is plain enough. Frank is so square he would not dream anybody could pull him into the trap that is set for him. Now look here, Hodge, I want you to understand that I am just as much Merry’s friend as you are, and I don’t like to see him trapped. I have warned him, but I’ll bet he’ll let them fool him just the same.” “It’s seldom he is fooled, old man. It may seem for a time that he is fooled, but, in the end, it turns out the other party is the one fooled.” “It can’t turn out that way this time. I have been in college longer than you, Hodge, and I know something about what I am driving at. The ’varsity nine is in a bad way this season. It is weaker than it has been before in six years, while Princeton and Harvard are stronger. Yale’s stanchest supporters say she has no show of winning the pennant. Now, right here is where the trick comes in. Phil Hardy is captain and manager. He knows he will be blamed more or less for the fizzle Yale is bound to make, and he gets out in a hurry----” “By his doctor’s orders.” “Bah! Fake! Trickery! Can’t fool me that way! Doctor’s fush! I talk what I’m knowing about--I mean I know what I’m talking about. It was a trick. Hardy wanted to get out, and he took that way. Now, Merriwell is to be pulled in to fill the place, so all the blame may be piled on his shoulders. I’ve told him the whole business, and he will go in with his eyes open.” “If you have told him, don’t worry about him,” said Bart, quietly. “He won’t be caught.” “That’s what Hardy is after him for. I heard him say the directors of the ball team wanted to see him.” “That’s all right. They will not trap Frank Merriwell. Don’t let that worry you.” But Bart could not impart this feeling of confidence to Harry. They got on to the same car with Hardy and Merriwell, and Rattleton was uneasy and nervous all the way back to the college. Harry wanted to get another word with Frank before the latter went before the directors, but Hodge held him back. “I tell you to let him alone,” said Bart, sharply. “I should resent it if you kept after me in such a manner.” “You needn’t worry!” snapped Harry. “I wouldn’t keep after you at all. If I took the trouble to warn you once, I’d let you go after that.” “Surely Frank Merriwell is as shrewd as I am.” The afternoon exercises were over. On the campus were gathered knots of students, all of whom seemed to be eagerly discussing something of general importance. “They know what is up,” said Harry. “They are talking baseball.”